Austria’s environmental technology sectors belong to the the most innovative in the world and are growing faster than the domestic economy as a whole.
Environmental technology "Made in Austria" is:
Eco-innovations are key factors for climate protection, energy- and resource-efficiency as well as for the circular flow economy. Austrian companies already occupy an excellent position in the environmental and energy technology sector today and stand for high-quality products and systems. Thus the Austrian environment sectors do not only contribute to Austria worth living but also to liveable conditions worldwide. They create jobs and strengthen the Austrian and ultimately the European competitive position.
Austria has a well-developed environmental technology industry, which is steadily increasing its yearly turnover. Over a period of 25 years the environmental industry has shown a very dynamic development in Austria. Turnover rose by a factor of 6,5 in this period, and exports increased by a factor of 4. Employment in the environmental technology industry nearly tripled. Austria’s environmental technology industry is thus characterised by a continuously growing economic performance. his success of the companies is sometimes justified by the consistent and
committed Austrian environmental policy. IWI - english summary
Austria is particularly active in the field of hydroelectric power, biomass, solar thermal energy, in the field of ecological construction, but also in classical environmental engineering industries, such as (Eg the world's highest passive house density, 10% of all EU Smart City projects, world market leaders in glass recycling, etc.). This success is also attributable to a very marked innovation activity in the Austrian environment, especially in the field of renewable energy technologies.
Investments in research and development are central factors for continuous growth, productivity and consolidation of the competitiveness of Austrian companies. Environmental technology companies have long recognized R & D as a door opener in order to tackle new target markets with various federal initiatives (for example, the "Export Initiative Environmental Technologies" or "go-international"). Developments in passive house technology, waste management and recycling, renewable energy technologies, resource efficiency and energy efficiency are particularly
noteworthy. In addition to legal requirements, state-funded, state-sponsored programs, are the main drivers of the successful eco-innovations "Made in Austria" and the growth of the domestic environment. The promotion of environmental protection by the federal government and the funding actitivies of the UFI - funding program (executed by the Minister for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology), the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) and Austria Wirtschaftsservice (aws).
Published: 04-02-2020 Doerthe Kunellis
Sources and additional information:
A joint project of the BMLFUW and the Umweltbundesamt